Interlude II: The Blue Club Convenes

The scene is a peaceful one. A tranquil blue sky stretches over a vast oaken forest and the tower that rises from its midst. Six individuals are seated on an eastward-facing balcony, and though the view is remarkable, the sunrise is not what holds their attention.

"I fear that we may have made a mistake," muses Bastila Shan, to the possible shock of many earthlings attired in prober Jedi masterly garb.

"How so, grandmother?" is said in return.

"We really should have prepared him better. His only knowledge of the Galaxy is from literature. Literature that we tried to guide, but that didn't convey that which he most needed to know."

"We've been over this Bastila," a third voice joins the conversation. "There wasn't a fool-proof way short of doing to him what the Council did to me, and look how good that turned out. We did our best, implanting what basic knowledge he needed into his subconscious when we transferred his essence through this realm."

"Yes Revan, we have been over this, but I still cannot help but think there could have been more that we could have done to help him. Given him more substantial knowledge… or something…. He nearly died on Vandelhelm!"

"Trust me, there wasn't. Not after his mind had developed as far as it had." Revan sighes, at least his ghostly-blue manifestation does so. He isn't such a fan of the situation either, but as he said, there was no other way. Their operative needed to have relatively matured as an individual, developed a moral code and worldview, and above all, he needed to retain his experiences from Earth. He also, Revan discontentedly thinks, needed to be young enough that he was not yet set on his life's path.

"It doesn't seem right," Bastila hesitantly continues, "We need him, that is true, but learning to be a Jedi is not exactly conducive to a normal life or teenage years, we should know…. Don't you think he had enough grief with the farce that was his college?"

"Yet that is exactly why we need him. Unlike so many from his world, he will actually care about our cause. He is no idealist, and no coward. He is wise enough not to attempt some foolish stunt such as assassinating the Sith Lord or, Force forbid, becoming one himself." Dam-Powl sighs, though they all understand the necessity of their actions, they still have worries and doubts, and regrets. A Master's job is never easy… "Of the Force Sensitive on Earth, only two hundred are capable of being Jedi, the others are either; too arrogant, self-conceited, hormonally-driven, uncouth, or simply lack any significant affinity with the Force. Of those two hundred that are capable, only three have the necessary mindset, leadership abilities, and have the most knowledge – granted that isn't much, to accomplish what we need of them."

"And in that may lie the problem," a gentle voice suggests, Nomi Sunrider joining the conversation, "We knew what part the human element played in the editing of the material to which we guided Nik, the final output was drastically different from what we suggested. Perhaps if he was not aware of the particulars of the Galaxy Far, Far Away, his task would have been easier, done with less preconception, just as if he was living his original, normal, life."

Those gathered pause to think on the matter, it is a valid point as far as anyone can tell at first thought. The silence is broken by Qui-Gon Jinn, who in his esteemed wisdom has a jibe to offer, "Well we could definitely have avoided the fiasco with my Padawan…."

Everyone cringes, that event is still fresh in everyone's thoughts. Satele Shan hangs her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I must have suppressed the logic centres too much. Usually he is more critical to what information he takes from fictional work. I was trying to make sure he didn't think too much on how he got to Coruscant, I overdid it, I guess."

"No harm done," reassures Nomi, "I altered Kenobi's memory of that rather embarrassing conversation. He won't remember a thing." After a brief silence she continues, "Still, I wish that Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest were never written. We could have done without that particular creative interpretation on part of the author."

"You think it was embarrassing for you?" snorts Satele, "Try to imagine what he felt like when he got his wits back…. In any case, even that debacle served a purpose; now he is doubly conscious of what he says, which is a good thing, because we cannot erase all his missteps from history."

"Which brings me back," Nomi reasserts, "to my previous statement; maybe it would have been better for Nik to have started his training without the preconceptions we gave him."

Revan snorts and a hint of derision enters his voice, "We certainly could have done that. But then he would have to learn not only about basic life skills in the GFFA, but the picture at large; that is Sith, Senate, Sidious – in short, everything about the Galaxy at large, instead of the useful things. And by useful, I mean how to deflect lasers and throw rocks at people. Do you think a teenage Force-Sensitive would have lasted until Operation Knightfall if he had absolutely no-idea what he was dealing with? Especially if he spent his days catching up on history and politics, and not, for instance, at the shooting range?"

Everyone present had already heard Revan go on this particular rant at least six times, predictably, they are not in the mood for the seventh iteration. "Revan," calls out Dam-Powl, warning in her tone, "we—"

She does not get to finish. "We. Need. Him. To. Learn." Revan slowly pronounces, "We brought him to the Jedi because, of those three suitable earthlings, he was the most adaptable. He was the most capable of learning the Jedi Way, and applying a different perspective to it, a perspective that can be implemented on Earth. If he knew nothing, it would be no different than if one of us did it ourselves, only with less effort. And, as we discussed, that is not what needs to happen. What worked in the GFFA for twenty-five millennia, is not suitable for Earth. It is not even suitable for the GFFA anymore, but Luke Skywalker will have that covered."

Revan sits back, his fervent counter delivered. After all, he has elaborated at length the past six times, he surely does not need to do so on the seventh.

Bastila Shan sighs, "You are right. Still … I wish more could be done. I … feel responsible, even if this will help all of us in the end."

Her many-times-great granddaughter commiserates, "You feel responsible because you are responsible. We all are responsible, I felt responsible when he passed out on Vandelhelm. Syphoning off the pain was all I could do then. I still wish I could have trained him better."

"Don't we all…" Revan mutters, his argument heard, and thus hostility dissipated, "The years to come won't be kind to him, that base-delta-zero definitely won't."

"Then let's make sure he is as ready as he can possibly be." Dam-Powl concurs. "Satele, could you get in touch with your friend Adi and see if she can spare her Padawan for six-or-so months?"

"You want to take him to Tython?" Qui-Gon queries, his voice not at all sure. "It has been many millennia since a Jedi trod on that world. It will be dangerous, especially for one untrained."

"Then all the better to start there. He can survive our ancient home, he can survive anywhere. And besides, it beats Dxun or Korriban," a discontented rumble comes from the Cathar's ghostly form, "…and definitely beats Rhen Var."

All assembled wince at the mention of that nasty place. The recent happenings on that world fall under the 'I wish that never happened' category. Ulic Qel-Droma is a fairly good Jedi, but that incident was not one of his brightest moments.

"I'll talk to Adi as soon as I can." Satele confirms, "Though I'd prefer not to do so during a Council meeting again…" A chuckle wafts through the Force at the amusing memory in question, back when the Blue Club first approached Adi Gallia for assistance.

"Speaking of the Council," Bastila mentions, concern in her voice, "My hold over them is slipping, soon they will get their senses back. When that happens… things won't be pretty."

"All the more reason," Revan concludes, "for us to get him away from the Temple before the Councillors ask themselves why exactly they accepted a sixteen-year-old into the Order."

Satele Shan stands up from her seat, "I am sure you will find that image amusing, I, however, should proceed to avert impending disaster."

With a bow her apparition fades from the balcony, and the Force echoes with a six-voiced chorus of "May the Force be with you…."

And that's the second interlude, short as its predecessor, but that's the point. The main story happens in the world of the living, but showing what the Blue Club is up to advances the plot. Hopefully this clears up all the odds and ends neglected either through my inexperience or by design.

This was indeed the direction which I wanted to take way back when I started tenuous planning for this story, a divergence from the stereotypical norm of self-inserts. In my experience, SIs are either hopelessly naive (as was this one at it's start) or self-serving agrandisations of oneself sans plot or purpose. That is not particularly true; the purpose is to save the universe (even though in the original work, the universe is saved) and everything else can burn. I must admit, that was what I was going to do in my inexperience, starting this story because I thought it would be awesome - it is, but I prefer to think things over before I write them down nowadays.

Dam-Powl, the Cathar Je'daii Master whom I mentioned is from the recent book "Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void".

An interesting thing to note is that the Blue Club no-longer consider themselves as part of the GFFA, a concept on which I shall elaborate in the distant future.

Before I wrap this up, I wish to thank my new follower for their support, which is much appreciated.

With this chapter done, the story moves into its final act, an act which I shall endeavour to make as realistic as possible, and as true to the Star Wars norm (Jedi, Sith, lightsabers and space battles) as I can get. Thanks for reading, and May the Fiction Be With You!

Clean world count: 1506 | Posted 6/11/13 0949 GMT